Young people across the region are continuing to take advantage of JCT600’s popular apprenticeship scheme which took on 40 new recruits last year and will be looking for at least another 25 during 2018.
Over the last four years, the Bradford-based family motor retailer has attracted hundreds of young people to its assessment days and currently has a total of 107 apprentices in the business, working in a variety of roles including as trainee service advisers, apprentice technicians and parts apprentices.
This month, JCT600 has again launched this year’s scheme, again running two and three year apprenticeships resulting in NVQ Level 2 and 3 qualifications alongside IMI Technical Certificates.
The company will be offering apprenticeships at most of its 50 dealerships throughout Yorkshire, the North East, the Humber, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.
At Mercedes-Benz Chesterfield, three young people are realising their dreams. Year 2 apprentice technician Yasar Rahman, age 19, of Rotherham is so keen to work in the motor industry that he makes a 36 mile round journey to work every day! He explains: “It’s fantastic to be working for such a prestige brand and to have the stability of a good job with prospects. This apprenticeship gives me a secure future with the chance to develop my skills and progress in an industry I love.”
Year 1 apprentice technician Jordan Brownhill, 23, from Sheffield, previously spent two years at the dealership working as a valeter before deciding to embark on a more structured career path – he applied for the apprenticeship vacancy and passed all the assessments and interviews with both JCT600 and Mercedes-Benz. Jordan says: ““I started working here three years ago washing cars, but I knew I wanted to gain the technical knowledge to move into the workshop and this apprenticeship has enabled me to do that. It’s given me a better future, where I can progress and keep learning. I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and this structured programme gives me the support to achieve recognised qualifications and feel like I’m really going somewhere.”
Seventeen year old Skye Siddall of Chesterfield a successful go-karter who has always wanted to be a technician, really impressed JCT600 during the apprentice technician assessments last year. She has joined Mercedes-Benz Chesterfield in the service department studying Level 2 customer service and on completion this September, she will begin a motor vehicle technician apprenticeship. Skye comments: “I’ve wanted to work in mechanics for a few years now and my dream is to be an F1 technician. It’s so much more exciting being in a work environment while you learn – the people here are really nice and I look forward to coming to work every day.”
Katie Saunders, HR director for JCT600, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many enthusiastic and talented young people coming into our business and being attracted to a career in the motor industry. While having some academic qualifications and IT skills is an advantage, what we’re really looking for are people who are hardworking, motivated and have good interpersonal skills – they need to have the right attitude, determination, a willingness to listen and learn and be a great team player.
“We have developed a programme which gives our apprentices the skills they need to pursue a career with us, while ensuring that they are supported along the way. As well as giving each apprentice their own mentor in the work place and a vocational learning adviser linked to their training college, we can also promise them supportive managers and colleagues throughout JCT600 as you would expect in a family business.”
With a team of 2,200 colleagues, JCT600 has been listed in the Sunday Times’ ‘Best Companies to Work For’ list in recognition of its outstanding levels of employee engagement. The company sells 18 of the world’s most respected brands such as Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, MINI, Ferrari, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.
